The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-07-30
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
JOHN s. ARMSTRONG.
The Sudden Fesze-Suterng Of those ~ho
Experienced u-Buying Corn -Spedrhg
Fsh.-Peasw@ Of Canoeing.-A
WreStle pitn Agus, &C., &c., sc.
THE SUDDEN FREEZE,

THE SUDDEN fbhkhb'
The pioneers who were in this region in
1886 will never forget another phenomenon,
the Sudden freeze" as it was known. which
occurred Dec 20, 1886. A pioneer thus de
scribes il: The morning was mild, with a
slight, drilling rain, which gradually
changed into snow, and covered the ground
with deep slush Suddenly black cloud
came sweeping across the sky from the north
west, accompanied by rearing wind. The
temperature suddenly fell from about 5O0
above to 200 below zerol As the cold wave
struck the ground the rain and slush wer.
changed in twinkling into ice" 1t is stated
upon the authority of many that the change
was so great and sudden that chickens, geese,
and even hogs and cows were frozen in the
slush, and the latter, unless extricated by
cutting the ice around their hoofs, remained
in their tracks to perish
Some drovers on the prairie north o.
Springfield, with 200 hogs, when overtaken
by the blizzard eight miles from town, aban-
doned their herd, and putting spurs to their
horses arrived in a village nearly frozen.
Next day vast pile of the hogs were found
where they had hudded together for warmth,
the outer ones frozen to death and the inner
ones smothered; the rest were found scatter
ed about the prairie transformed into very
solid pork, while few reached shelter in
the timber alive. The browning horror Of
that storm occurred in Woodford county
There lived in the timber, in Black Partridge
township, in that county, man named But
Ter, with his wife, son ten years old and
grown up daughter named Margaret. They
we're in destitute circumstances and frequent
ly objects of public charity, the neighbors
supplying them with food and clothes. On
the afternoon of that fierce day Of blizzard,
Butler and his daughter left the house in
search of an estray cow When they started
a light rain was falling and the ground was
covered with mud and slush which soon be-
gan to freeze They had gone probably
mile from home, when the intense and in
creasing cold drove them back. They were
very thinly clad-lhe girls dress consisting
of calico dress and a single under garment
and an old shawl thrown over her head and
shoulders, and her fathers clothing proper
tionally scant. They Travelled towards home
till the girl could 60 no farther. They were
half a mile from their cabin. The father
placed her against tree, took OIL his coat
and placed it around her. removed his boots
and put them upon her feet. Having done
all in his power to protect her till he could
get relief, and proving beyond doubt his
parental affection and unselfsh manliness OF
character, in his stocking feet and shirt
sleeves, started for home in an atmosphere
which was nearly twice as cold as ice itself.
Not returning that night the anxious mother
hoped they had taken refuge at some neigh
boris, but, waiting next morning till her fears
could no longer be restrained, she and her
little boy started out to hunt for them, and
soon her search resulted in a heart breaking
spectacle. The father was found leaning
against some willows on the edge of creek
through which his path led, frozen stlff, ana
his feet solid in the ice in the stream, winch
was frozen to the bottom, foot in depth, the
daughter few rods further on, leaning
against the tree where her loving father had
placed her, and in sig hit of the spot where
he persisted, sitting IN the same attitude IN
which he left her, save that her hands were
omen and slightly raised, and her eyes
turned heaven. ward, indicating that she died
while praying for relief for him and her
which never came in this life! The neigh
bors came from far and near to the funeral
The girls limbs we're so frozen that 1t wal
impossible to compose them for an ordinary
coffin. They were buried in the same grave
and a suitable provision made at once fol
the beresyed mother and her little boy.
VARIOUS INCIDENTS.
| But to return to our sketch. As no crop
could be raised the first season OF MIR
Strawn's sojourn in Round Prairie, that gen
tleman, after bringing his family on from
McCulloughs Grove, and safely establishing
them in the new cabins, had to Ego down in
to Egypt for corn" and accordingly he pro
cured flat boat and loaded it with all sort
of needed provisions, both for man and beast
and brought 1t to "Strawn's Landing" wher'
it was deposited, the fret cargo OF goods eve
delivered by bcs', at the future village o.